@revmagdalen On the topic of BB as group vs "tactic".
The "its a tactic not a group" line seems to substantially be for external consumption.
I think it could accurately be described as rhizomic and diffuse, grounded in affinity groups.
But has a history/lineage (tracing back to Italian & German Autonomen). Has key intellectuals providing loose ideological framework and justification. "Members" build identities around being BB. Can offer "communiques" from within itself to itself. BB peeps self-describe as a "faction" within anarchism, etc. BBers coordinate actions, including between cities. Defined media outlets are used to get out its message (e.g. Bay of Rage, Infoshop, etc.).
Internally, BB does not appear to maintain the "this is just a tactic not a group" illusion:
http://www.sheffieldmayday.ukf.net/articles/blackbloc.htm
"Black Bloc Tactics Communique
A Communiqué On Tactics And Organization To The Black Bloc, From Within The Black Bloc. (Second Amended Addition) July 2001, From Somewhere in The Mid-west"
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http://www.infoshop.org/amp/bgp/BlackBlockPapers2.pdf snippets:
"The importance of these texts lies in exhibiting the range of types participating within the Black Bloc."
"As with the communiques, the overview section of each chapter should be seen as a primary text from within the Black Bloc. David and I are Black Bloc, and have participated actively in numerous aspects of various protests"
"In addition, we strongly believe that this anthology had to be compiled from within the Bloc."
"Chapter I
The Emergence of The Black Bloc and The Movement Towards Anarchism"
"One facet of this movement (specifically of the revolutionary anarchist movement) is encapsulated and advanced by the militant actions of a group commonly referred to as the Black Bloc. This informal grouping has acted as a necessary radical action wing of the larger social protest movement"
"The following essay is primarily concerned with the Black Bloc. However, in order to more accurately discuss this faction, it will be necessary to paint a picture of the larger contemporary framework within and against which it operates. Towards this end this work will be divided into three sections. The first will deal directly with the Black Bloc; its historical roots, as well as the tactics it commonly employs. The second section will discuss the social, political, psychological and economic macrocosm in which the present movement is situated. The final section will discuss the smaller social context in which the revolutionary anarchist movement as well as the Black Bloc directly exists."
"The Black Bloc can trace its historical roots all the way back to when- and wherever people comprising an oppressed class or group militantly rose up against their oppressors."
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The following is a bit unusual, since was sent to Alternet, but doesn't push the "tactics" line that you generally see in material that's intended for external readers.
http://www.alternet.org/story/11230?page=entire
Letter from Inside the Black Bloc
"I'm part of a loosely affiliated international group of individuals known as the Black Bloc. We don't have a party platform, and you don't have to sign anything or go to any meetings to join us. We show up at all kinds of demonstrations, from actions to free Mumia Abu Jamal, to protests against the sanctions in Iraq, and at just about every meeting of international financial and political organizations from the WTO to the G8. Although most anarchists would never wear black bandanas over their faces or break windows at McDonalds, almost all of us are anarchists."
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http://tl.gd/fv7eq3
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